Dear Pigs & Swigs Family,

It has been a long journey of fundraising for brain cancer initiatives and research. What began as a love note to honor my late husband, Jeff Sorensen and our daughter Madelyn, grew into something far greater than I ever imagined. Pigs & Swigs became more than a fundraiser, it became a joyful community tradition of family and friends uniting to bring hope for a cure of brain cancer, especially glioblastomas. It began as a way to remember my own two loves but morphed into bringing many more into the fold of honor and memory.

To all of you who have supported this mission, I thank you from my heart’s core. Your generosity and encouragement have carried me through grief to a great hope for a cure. I can say I am finally truly hopeful.

This year’s Pigs & Swigs was the biggest, best, and most hopeful of any. Your donations brought in over $52,000 for the Last Squeal! 

A PIG thank you to the HERD, my dear friends who made it all happen! And to Jordan Higgins who helped bring it all together.

We had two inspiring guests speak about their journey with brain cancers. They each expressed how grateful they are for researchers whose work gave them a chance at life.

Dr. Fred Lang could not attend this year but Melody Harmon from M.D. Anderson came to share a personal letter of gratitude from him to the Lake Winnebago community. He emphasized that this community’s support has helped make it possible for them to bring their innovative approaches from the lab to patients. Donations from events and individuals make up a large portion of their budget because national agencies do not like to take a risk on ‘out of the box’ innovations that may not profit them. So don’t give up supporting it!

Brain cancer is one of the most difficult of cancers to treat because of the blood/ brain barrier surrounding the brain. The team at M.D. Anderson are finding ways to break through that barrier and deliver innovative treatments directly to cancer cells. There have already been several patients who have seen complete eradication of tumors. This is truly amazing and historic!

Thank you for believing in this mission, for remembering Jeff and Maddie, and for standing beside me for the past 27 years when brain cancer entered my life. Your kindness has made a lasting difference that I will carry always in my heart.

Lovingly yours,

Sara McCambridge
President, Madelyn and Jeff Sorensen Memorial